WEBVTT SOLEDAD: THE DISCOVERY OF INSULIN NEARLY 100 AGO WAS ONE OF THE GREATEST TRIUMPHS OF MODERN MEDICINE, TRANSFORMING DIABETES FROM A DEATH SENTENCE TO A MANAGEABLE DISEASE. BUT TODAY, PEOPLE WITH DIABETES ARE DYING BECAUSE THEY CAN’T AFFORD THE LIFE-SAVING DRUG. SOMETIMES, EVEN WITH INSURANCE. IN 1996, A VIAL OF ONE OF THE MOST POPULAR INSULIN BRANDS COST $2 IN 2001, 30 FIVE DOLLARS. 2015, $234. AND LAST YEAR, IT JUMPED TO $275 A VIAL. BUT SOME PATIENTS CAN PAY UP TO $400 FOR JUST ONE VIAL. MORE THAN 30 MILLION AMERICANS HAVE DIABETES. AND ABOUT 7 MILLION USE INSULIN. AND ACCORDING TO A RECENT STUDY, 1 IN 4 REPORTED SKIPPING DOSES BECAUSE OF THE COST. MANY FACTORS PLAY A ROLE IN THE HIGH PRICE, INCLUDING THE FACT NO GENERIC VERSIONS ARE ON THE MARKET. IT’S NO WONDER A TWEET FROM A FRUSTRATED MOM RECENTLY WENT VIRAL. DOREEN RUDOLPH OF LONG ISLAND TWEETED THIS: "I JUST BOUGHT 2 VIALS OF INSULIN FOR MY DAUGHTER. COST ME 524 DOLLARS. WITH A DISCOUNT CARD. ALL I COULD BUY. I LEFT THE PHARMACY AND SAT IN MY CAR AND CRIED." DOREEN IS WITH US TODAY. IT IS NICE TO HAVE YOU. DOREEN: THANK YOU. SOLEDAD: TELL ME ABOUT YOUR DAUGHTER, NICOLE. SHE’S 27 YEARS OLD. WHEN WAS SHE DIAGNOSED WITH DIABETES? DOREEN: SHE WAS DIAGNOSED AT 12. SOLEDAD: SO, SHE HAS BEEN USING INSULIN ALL THAT TIME. DOREEN: YES. SOLEDAD: SO AT 26, SHE WAS NO LONGER COVERED ON YOUR INSURANCE. AND SUDDENLY, SHE HAD TO PAY FOR INSULIN HERSELF. SO, HOW MUCH DID THE INSULIN PRICE JUMP FROM WHAT YOU’RE PAYING ON YOUR INSURANCE, WHICH WAS PROBABLY JUST A CO-PAY, TO WHAT NOW SHE WAS PAYING? DOREEN: MY THREE-MONTH SUPPLY WAS $50. HERS WAS A LITTLE OVER $1300 FOR A THREE-MONTH SUPPLY OF INSULIN. SO THAT WAS A LITTLE BIT OF A SHOCK. SOLEDAD: SO FROM THE TIME SHE’S BEEN 26, HAVE YOU AND YOUR HUSBAND BEEN HELPING HER OUT IN COVERING HER INSULIN? DOREEN: WE HAD TO. SHE DOESN’T MAKE NEARLY ENOUGH, THAT SHE COULDN’T EVEN PAY. I WAS PAYING HER CO-PAYS ALL ALONG, EVEN WHEN SHE WAS ON MY INSURANCE BECAUSE THAT WAS EVEN TIGHT. AND $1300 WOULD JUST BE WAY OUT OF WHAT SHE MADE. SHE WOULD JUST BE WORKING TO PAY FOR HER INSULIN. SOLEDAD: WHAT WOULD HAPPEN IF SHE DIDN’T TAKE HER INSULIN? DOREEN: OH, IF YOU DON’T TAKE YOUR INSULIN, AND SHE’S HAD THIS ISSUE IN THE PAST, YOU GO INTO DIABETIC KETOACIDOSIS WHERE THE ACID JUST DEVELOPS IN YOUR BODY AND YOUR ORGANS SHUT DOWN ONE AT A TIME AND YOU WOULD DIE WITHIN ONE TO TWO DAYS. SOLEDAD: WHEN DID YOU REALIZE THAT THAT TWEET, WHICH JUST SOUNDED LIKE YOU WERE FRUSTRATED AND DONE, HAD GONE VIRAL? DOREEN: I DIDN’T ACTUALLY EVEN REALIZE IT UNTIL I HAD OVER 803 MESSAGES IN MY INBOX. AND THEN I WAS LIKE, OK, THIS IS A LITTLE OVERWHELMING. AND THEN I WAS -- I ACTUALLY DON’T TWEET ALL THAT OFTEN, AND I JUST TWEET WHEN I’M FRUSTRATED -- BECAUSE MY DAUGHTER ISN’T ON TWITTER -- WITH THE PRICE AND HOW MUCH IT’S AFFECTING US AND HOW MUCH MONEY WE ALWAYS HAVE TO GET UP TO PAY FOR THIS. AND WHERE DO WE GET IT FROM NEXT. THAT TYPE OF SITUATION. SOLEDAD: IS THAT HOW IT IS FOR YOU? YOU FEEL LIKE YOU’RE CONSTANTLY TRYING TO STRATEGIZE ABOUT HOW YOU’RE GOING TO COVER THIS. DOREEN: SURE, SURE. WE’VE BORROWED MONEY FROM OUR RETIREMENTS. WE’VE USED OUR SAVINGS. IT DRAINS YOU, BESIDES ALL YOUR OTHER MEDICAL COSTS. SOLEDAD: SO, IT WENT VIRAL AND PEOPLE STARTED DONATING MONEY. DOREEN: YES. SOLEDAD: HOW MUCH WERE YOU ABLE TO RAISE WITH THE GOFUNDME? DOREEN: ABOUT $6,000. SOLEDAD: YOU HAVE RAISED MONEY FOR A YEAR BASICALLY. WHAT HAPPENS IN A YEAR? DOREEN: I DON’T KNOW. I DON’T KNOW. I’LL KEEP WORKING. I’LL KEEP TRYING TO SAVE MONEY FOR THAT POINT. AND HOPE THAT -- I WILL ALWAYS HOPE THINGS CHANGE. BUT I HAVE TO PLAN FOR IF THEY DON’T. SO, I ACTUALLY DON’T KNOW. SOLEDAD: IT MUST BE VERY FRUSTRATING. YOU’RE DEALING BETWEEN A CHILD WHO LIVES AND DIES. DOREEN: IT IS. IT IS. THIS IS YOUR CHILD. YOU’VE WATCHED THEM GET VERY SICK. YOU’VE WATCHED THEM GET DIAGNOSED. IT’S VERY HEARTBREAKING FOR ME TO SEE THIS STRUGGLE. SOLEDAD: IS IT SOMETHING YOU DEAL WITH EVERY DAY? DOREEN: YES. SOLEDAD: WHY DOES IT MAKE YOU CRY? DOREEN: IT MAKES ME CRY BECAUSE YOU WATCH YOUR CHILD STRUGGLE. YOU WATCH THEM TRY TO GET BETTER. YOU WATCH THEM TO TRY TO BE NORMAL. WHAT SHE CONSIDERS NORMAL IS LIFE WITHOUT DIABETES. AND SHE NEVER HAD THAT. AND IF YOU COULD TAKE IT AWAY , YOU WOULD, BUT YOU CAN’T. SOLEDAD: THE FINANCIAL BURDEN IS CRAZY. DOREEN: AND IT’S OK FOR ME TO STRUGGLE. BUT YOU DON’T WANT TO SEE YOUR CHILDREN STRUGGLE. SOLEDAD: WHAT DO YOU THINK THE SOLUTION IS? DOREEN: I THINK THEY HAVE TO GO AFTER THE PHARMACEUTICAL COMPANIES. THE PRESIDENT OF THE PHARMACEUTICAL COMPANIES. THEY RAISED THE PRICE. OVER AND OVER AND OVER AGAIN. AND THEY SEEM TO RAISE THE PRICE ON THE THINGS THAT YOU CAN’T DO WITHOUT. SOLEDAD: CONGRESS COULD AND THEY CHOOSE NOT TO. DOREEN: CORRECT. AND THAT’S WHERE IT HURTS. AND WHENEVER YOU LOOK AT THE LIST OF MEDICATIONS THAT THEY ADVERTISE THAT ARE DROPPED, IT’S NEVER INSULIN. SOLEDAD: DO YOU SEE THIS SPURRING YOU INTO ACTION POLITICALL I MEAN, THIS IS HOW PEOPLE START. DOREEN: I FEEL LIKE I’M NOT -- I’M NORMALLY A VERY SHY PERSON. I’M NOT AN OUTSPOKEN PERSON THAT WAY. BUT I DON’T FEEL LIKE I HAVE A CHOICE. THIS IS NOT SOMETHING I WANT TO STAND UP AND TALK ABOUT. THIS IS NOT SOMETHING THAT I WANT TO HAVE TO BRING UP OVER AND OVER AGAIN. BUT I FEEL LIKE I DON’T HAVE A CHOICE IN IT I AM DOING IT FOR MY DAUGHTER. SHE NEEDS HER INSULIN. SHE NEEDS TO BE ABLE TO AFFORD IT. I MAY NOT ALWAYS BE THERE. SOLEDAD: DOREEN RUDOLPH, THANK YOU FOR TALKING WITH ME. I KNOW IT’S DIFFICULT, AND I DO APPRECIATE YOU COMING IN AND SPEAKING ABOUT THIS. DOREEN: THANK YOU. SOLEDAD: THE BEST OF LUCK TO YOU AND YOUR DAUGHTER. DOREEN: THANK YOU. I’M SORRY I CRIED. SOLEDAD: I AM A MOM AND I FULLY 100% UNDERSTAND.

Mom Fighting to Save Daughter: Big Pharma Can’t Hold You Hostage

Share

Shares

Copy Link

{copyShortcut} to copy
Link copied!

Updated: 4:27 PM EDT Aug 3, 2018

Her daughter’s lifesaving medication used to be affordable, just $50 for a three-month supply. Today, it costs $1300. After one of her recent pharmacy trips, Doreen Rudolph took to Twitter to voice her frustration, tweeting this: “I just bought two vials of insulin for my daughter cost me 524 dollars with a discount card. All I could buy. I left the pharmacy and sat in my car and cried.” It went viral as thousands of Americans saw their own desperation reflected in Rudolph’s story. Soledad O’Brien sits down with her to discuss the struggle of a parent whose child’s life is held hostage by big pharma.